NODRAMALAND - The crimes of the discrimination Llama (break-out game)

Aims of the tool

1. To educate young people about human rights
2. Encourage youngsters to active citizenship and empathy
3. To show solutions on how to fight with discrimination

Description of the tool

This game is a quest hosted outdoors. The participants have to help the local creatures by solving the tasks. Tasks will teach them about the human rights. As they free all the creatures, they will know the code to the treasure chest and get their prize.

Task 1.
Children are given a locked box, an introductory letter, an envelope with task 1.
Letter introduces them to game settings.
Here is the text:
The Crimes of the Discrimination Llama
Hola! Welcome to the island M13. It is a marvelous island with incredible beaches and forests full of delicious fruits.
But the power in the island was seized by the terrible dictator – The Discrimination Llama!
You have to overthrow his power – and for doing so you will be awarded a treasure by the grateful inhabitants of M13.
The map to the island is inside the box. You have to solve task #1 to open the lock!

Task 1 consists of identifying different crimes committed by the evil Discrimination Llama against the island’s population with words like racism, sexism and other commonly used terms.
Children have to match crimes with proper terms, and by doing so they get the number key to unlock the first box.
This task is aimed at introducing children to human rights and educating them. It was important for us to use animals as an example, as we were careful to not disturb children who may have suffered from discrimination with examples that are too real.

Task 2.
Inside the box: A letter, a list of articles, a map that has 3 creatures, a card to put the numbers
Text of the letter:
Good job! You are very close to beating the discrimination llama and finding the treasure!
Look at the map attentively. 3 magical creatures are being held captive by the Discrimination Llama. Visit them one by one. Obviously, they can’t talk, so look for the notes they have attached to them. If you free them, you will know how to open the treasure box.
You can free them if you guess which of their rights was violated.

We hid 3 “magic creatures” (a bear, a flamingo and a genie) in the park and gave children the map to make finding them easier. We thought that it was a good idea to include movement into the game and children indeed enjoyed running around.
Every creature was locked to a tree and had a note explaining that it suffered from some kind of discrimination and was being held captive. In order to free the animal, children have to identify the article from the Declaration of Human Rights that suits the situation most. For example, flamingo suffered from being denied entrance to his home country after visiting his grandparents. He was freed after children found the article saying that everyone has a right to return to his home country.
Number of the article had to be put on a special card. Same as in Task 1, 3 numbers would open the box in the final task.
We loved seeing children showing sympathy to creatures. We used 2 toys and one of the participants to embody magic creatures.

Examples of notes tied to animals:
Flamingo
Hola! Thank God, you found me! My name is Flamingo the Traveler. I was born here at this island, but last summer I went to another island to visit my grandparents. As I came back to M13, the Discrimination Llama told me that I am a traitor and should go to jail.
I can’t remember which of my rights was violated… Maybe you can tell me?
Bear
Hola! I am Osito! I always dreamed to become an artist, but the Llama says that bears can’t be artists. I was told to become a policeman, because I’m so big and strong. But I kept on drawing and they put me in a jail.
Help me find a right that was violated!
Genie
Hola! I am a genie. I lived in my beautiful home country, but the Discrimination Llama caught me asleep, put me in chains and held captive. He brought me here and makes me fulfill his wishes. Help me please! If you do so, I will be forever grateful and tell you where the treasure is hidden!

Task 3.
After children free the genie, he shows them the way to a treasure box. This box can be unlocked with 3 numbers of the articles used in Task 2.
The box is a treasure chest filled with prizes and a thank you letter.

Yaaaay!
You did it!
Thank you for freeing the island with the power of the human rights! Enjoy your treat!